Eyes Wide Open
by KrayzeeGlow88
Summary: OotP semi-spoiler! James looks back on his confrontation with Lily and decides that it's time for a change. Will he win Lily over? New 4th Chapter! Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1: Realization

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Eyes Wide Open  
  
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Summary: James looks back on his confrontation with Lily (the one from Snape's Worst Memory in OotP) and decides that it's time for a change. Will he win Lily over?  
  
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Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I owned all this stuff I'd be one rich lady! The 'replayed events' are direct quotes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
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Chapter 1:  
  
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James sat on the quidditch field with his arms wrapped around his knees, watching the sun slowly set over Hogwarts. Over and over he replayed the events from earlier that day.  
  
"'I'm suprised your broomstick can get off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK.'  
  
She turned on her heel and hurried away.  
  
'Evans!' James shouted after her, 'Hey, EVANS!'  
  
But she didn't look back."  
  
"Godamnit!" James mumbled to himself.  
  
"Now, now James, there's no need for bad language."  
  
Remus plopped down next to James, sensing that he was deeply upset.  
  
"You weren't at dinner, Prongs."  
  
"Not hungry."  
  
"What's the matter? Lily?"  
  
"Yeah. Godamnit!" James ripped a handful of grass from the quidditch pitch.  
  
"Personally, I don't see why you waste your time and energy on a girl who'd rather eat bobotuber pus than go out with you. You could have any girl in this school!"  
  
"Lily's different than the other girls, though. She's smart, she has substance."  
  
"She also has an allergy to you, Prongs." Remus patted his friend on the back, "that tends to get in the way."  
  
Disregarding his friend's joke, James went on. "But I fancy her," he said quietly. "Fancy?" His voice grew louder, "Godamnit, I love her, Remus! She doesn't give a damn but I'm in love with her."  
  
"I know, James. I know, Sirius knows, Peter knows, we all know. You don't exactly keep it a secret from us, but you keep it from Lily."  
  
"What are you talking about? I asked her out today! I shamelessly throw myself at her and you don't think she knows how I feel?"  
  
"Girls are a complicated thing."   
  
"No kidding!"  
  
"But on the other hand, Prongs, It does make some sense. Girls have always fancied that sort of 'I-own-the-world' way that you act when you're around them. That's just how you attract them. Then you try it with Lily and things go awry. She said it herself today, she thinks you're conceited."  
  
"Am I?"  
  
"That depends. Who's perspective do you want?" Remus sighed. "Look, she probably reckons you're only after her to prove that you really can get any girl in the school. You need to be real with her. Just tell her how you really feel."  
  
"It's not so easy."  
  
"I've seen the way you look at her, James. Like you'd go to the ends of the earth just to have a coffee with her at Madam Puddifoot's."  
  
James chuckled. "Do we really strike you as the kind of people who's go to Madam Puddifoot's?"  
  
"Ha, I guess not. How about butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks?"  
  
"That's better."  
  
"But anyway, you need to show her that side of you."  
  
"I wish I knew how."  
  
"You do. You're just scared of it, of exposinbg yourself and getting hurt. You need to let go."  
  
Remus got up and straightened his shabby robes. "Come, lets go study for tomorrow's O.W.L.s, okay?"  
  
James didn't move. "You go. I need to be alone for a bit."  
  
Remus nodded and left James with his thoughts.  
  
'Someday,' James thought to himself, 'you'll know how I feel, Evans. You'll see the real me. I'll never stop loving you.' 


	2. Chapter 2: Explosion

**************  
  
**************  
  
**************  
  
Eyes Wide Open  
  
**************  
  
**************  
  
**************  
  
Summary: James looks back on his confrontation with Lily (the one from Snape's Worst Memory in OotP) and decides that it's time for a change. Will he win Lily over?  
  
**************  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I owned all this stuff I'd be one rich lady! The 'replayed events' are direct quotes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
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Chapter 2:  
  
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James walked into the Great Hall for breakfast when he spotted Lily eating by herself at the Gryffindor table and poring over her transfiguration textbook. He slid into the seat next to her and helped himself to some toast.  
  
"Good Morning, Lily," he said with a genuine smile.  
  
"Wow, you actually know my name!" She said sarcastically, "What a shocker!"  
  
"A simple 'good morning, James' would have been just fine," said James. Lily rolled her eyes.  
  
"Hey, I was only trying to be polite!" Said James defensively, "How do you find fault in an innocent 'good morning'?"  
  
Scowling, Lily got up from her seat and grapped her bookbag, sliding it on to her shoulder with such force that she nearly hit a Hufflepuff first year standing behind her. "Innocent, James?" She retorted, "You wouldn't know innocent if it hit you over the head with a solid gold cauldron! You always have something up your sleeve and I'm sure this is no different!" With that, Lily stormed out of the Great Hall, fuming.  
  
"Such a drama queen, that Lily Evans" said a voice behind James. He turned around a spotted his partner in crime, Sirius Black.  
  
"What'd you do this time, Prongs? Turn Old Snivelly upside down again?"  
  
"I just said 'good morning' to her!"Exclaimed a dumbfounded James, "she just blew up at me about not being innocent or something! What is with her? Is it that time of the month or something?"  
  
Sirius chuckled. "Well, the last person you said 'good morning' to was Filch, and that was the time you kidnapped Mrs. Norris. She may have a point." James laughed in spite of himself.  
  
Well, Prongs," Sirius continued, "She must be really something to you, 'cause I think she's more trouble than she's worth."  
  
"She's really something, Padfoot. She really is." 


	3. Chapter 3: Distracted

  
  
Eyes Wide Open  
  
Summary: James looks back on his confrontation with Lily (the one from Snape's Worst Memory in OotP) and decides that it's time for a change. Will he win Lily over?  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I owned all this stuff I'd be one rich lady! The 'replayed events' are direct quotes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
James slid into his seat towards the back of the Great Hall. In front of him sat Lily, who was busy scribbling something.  
  
"Last minute studying, Evans?" Lily sent a scathing look at him.  
  
"I never forget my responsibilities, Potter," she sneered. "Some of us are humbled enough to realize that we have them."  
  
"Look," he started, "I don't know what you're problem is, but I'm just trying to be polite. Everytime I try to say something nice you just blow up at me!"  
  
"As if you care about being nice to me!" She shot back, "I know full well you just want to get into my robes."  
  
"Lily, that's not--"  
  
"Silence! Your Charms O.W.L. is about to begin. Professor Kettleburn will be handing out the test quills. There will be no talking! That means you, Black!" Snapped Professor McGonagall, "Professor Flitwick will be available to answer any questions."  
  
"Bee in her bonnet?" Snickered Sirius to a pretty Ravenclaw on his left.  
  
"Black! Alright, the test will begin... NOW."  
  
James tried to concentrate. 'What is the incantation for a Cheering Charm?' It was no good. All he could do was stare at the shining red curls in front of him. Lily was bent over her desk, clearly halfway through the first page. He could hear her quill hitting the parchment. Her gold bracelet tinkling as she wrote.  
  
'Cheering Charms, think about the Cheering Charms!' James thought to himself. After 15 minutes of wasting time, James finally came to and began the test. 


	4. Chapter 4: Revelation

  
  
Eyes Wide Open  
  
Summary: James looks back on his confrontation with Lily (the one from Snape's Worst Memory in OotP) and decides that it's time for a change. Will he win Lily over?  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I owned all this stuff I'd be one rich lady! The 'replayed events' are direct quotes from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
"Quills down!"  
  
The students shuffled out of the Great Hall, muttering to eachother about how they think they did. James spotted Lily heading up the Entrance Hall stairs, and quietly followed her. He watched as she stopped a Ravenclaw prefect.  
  
"Don't forget, Melinda," said Lily, "we have a prefects meeting in 15 minutes. I think we're in the charms classroom today."  
  
"Can't we skive off, Lily?" Melinda pleaded. "Just once?"  
  
"You know we can't," Lily replied.  
  
"Or you can't..." Melinda said with a smirk.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Please, Lily! You've fancied that Remus Lupin for ages. Everyone knows you won't give up a chance to rub elbows with him... or maybe something else!"  
  
"Really, Melinda!" Lily gasped.  
  
"I'm not wrong."  
  
Lily sighed, and then giggled in spite of herself. "No, you aren't. He's rather sweet."  
  
All the color drained from James's face as he watched in horror.  
  
"Bet James wouldn't like that." Melinda snickered.  
  
"He doesn't know," said Lily, "and I'd prefer to keep it that way. I don't think he'd ever leave me alone if he found out I fancy one of his best friends."  
  
"Oh, Lily," groaned James to himself, "how wrong you are..."  
  
A/N: Would it really kill you guys to review? I'd like to know if this is any good. I'm looking forward to improving my writing. Any constructive critisicm is welcome! 


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